Tension control device



Sept. 20, 1955 s. ROBERTS TENSION CONTROL DEVICE Filed Jan. 17, 1952INVENTOR. INGHAM 8. R05 [RT-S ATTORNE United States a fiint o 72,718,363 TENSION CONTROL DEVICE Ingham S. Roberts, Ridley Park, Pa.,assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Application January 17, 1952,-Serial No. 266,8853 Claims; (Cl. 242--149) This invention relates to filamentary twistingapparatus wherein a rotating spindle is adapted to impart two or moretwists in the filamentary material for each revolution of the spindle,which apparatus may be simply referred to as a multiple-twist type oftwister. More particularly this invention relates to a multiple twisttype of twister which includes novel and improved filamentary materialtension control means.

In twisting apparatus of this nature, the spindle and the flyer mountedthereon revolve but the package fromv which the thread or yarn is drawnremains substantially stationary. The yarn is withdrawn from thestationary package and passes downwardly through the hollow rotatingspindle. It then proceeds outwardly along a transverse aperture in theflyer, emerges therefrom and passes several times about a storage drumwhich forms the base of the flyer. Thereafter it passes outwardly andupwardly in a helical manner and in a spaced relation about the yarnpackage to form its so-called balloon. The yarn then passes through thevarious guide rings and over various rollers to a suitable take-updevice.

In order to control the uniformity of the twist applied to thefilamentary material it is necessary to interpose a suitable braking ortensioning means along the path of yarn between the supply package andthe flyer device. This tensioning means is ordinarily located adjacentthe upper end of the spindle where the yarn enters on its downwardtravel therethrough. In this way the initial application of twist isconfined between the tensioning means and the flyer device and the yarnwhich still has not been withdrawn from the supply package is preventedfrom absorbing a variable amount of twist.

Oftentimes it is desirable to withdraw a plurality of individualfilamentary materials from their respective supply packages and tosimultaneously apply twist'to each during the same twisting operation.The tensioning means which have been employed in the past have beenfound unable to operate in a satisfactory manner when it is desired toaccommodate a plurality of filaments.

Tension control between the flyer and the take-up means is likewise animportant'aspect of the twisting operation. It has been found that whenundue tension is present it is difficult to properly wind thefilamentary material upon its take-up means. Thus it is desirable tomitigate the tension in the filamentary material adjacent the take-upmeans.

It has also been found that at high twister speeds the tension in theballoon may reach a value which impairs the quality of the yarn. Thus itis also desirable to mitigate the tension in the balloon. I

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide novel andimproved tension control means for a multiple twist type of twis erapparatus. I

Itis a further object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved tension device for a multiple twist type of twisting machinewhich will simultaneously ac com'modate a pair of a plurality ofindividual filamentary materials.

Itis a further object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved balloon control means which materially reduces the tension inthe filamentary material adjacent its take-up means.

' tioning the annulus thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description.

In the drawing which is illustrative of the invention,

Figure l is an elevational view in section of a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the improved balloon controlling ring meansof the present invention;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view in section of themagnetically-controlled, spindle-braking switch means;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view in section of a modified tensioncontrol means;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view in section of another modifiedtension control means.

As shown more particularly in Figure 1 of the drawing wherein apreferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, the twistingmachine includes a base plate 3 and a spindle driving means such as themotor 3a mounted thereon. Spindle 3b is operatively connected to themotor and extends upwardly therefrom. Its upper portion 3c is hollowedto accommodate the passage of filamentary material as will be hereaftermore fully described. The fiyer device 4 which includes a flat annularrim portion 4a, an intermediate frusto-conical portion 4b and acylindrical drum base 4c is secured by its hub 40. to the spindlebetween the shoulder 5 and the retainer ring 6 by any convenient meanssuch as by the key 7 shown in the drawing. The bearing members 8 and 9are respectively seated on the shoulders 10 and 11 adjacent the upperextremity of the spindle 3b and rotatably support the hub member 12which accommodates the yarn supply package 13 as hereinafterdescribedmore fully. Hub apron 14 extends outwardly and upwardly from the hubmember 12 and with the cylindrical shell member 15 which is adapted toengage an outer stepped flanged portion 14a of the apron provides acovering container for the supply package. One or more annulardepressions 14b and are preferably formed in the base of the apron toincrease its rigidity.

An annular resilient pad 14d is preferably inserted in the depression14b to engage one end of the supply package core 16 when the supplypackage 13 is mounted on the hub member. The other end of the core 16 isadapted to receive the frusto-conical cap member 17 and tensioningdevice 29. The tubular sleeve 18 surrounds an aperture in the top of thecap member 17 and extends downwardly therefrom toward and in alinementwith the hollow portion 30 of the spindle. The annular polished washer17a is preferably inserted in a depression 17b on the upper surface ofthe cap to provide an improved thread-contacting wear surface.

Tension device 29 as shown in Figure l of the drawing includes anannulus 20 and a weighted insert 21. A sleeve portion 19 preferablyextends downwardly from the inner periphery of the annulus and looselyengages the apertured cap member to provide a means for posiproperlypositioned, its lower surface is contiguous with the upper surface ofthe polished washer and a first pair of opposed yarn tensioning surfacesis provided. The weighted insert 21 preferably includes a stem portion21a which extends downwardly and loosely engages the sleeve portion ofthe annulus thereby providing a means forpositioning the insert thereon.In this way the lower surface of the-insert is contiguous with the uppersurface of the annulus and a second pair of opposed yarn tensioningsurfaces is provided. The loose engagement between the sleeve 19 of theannulus and the apertured cap member 17 and between the sleeve of theannulus and the stem 21a of the insert causes individual mutationalmovements of the weighted insert and the annulus as the strands unwrapfrom the supply package and ap- Thus when the annulus is proach theirrespective opposed contiguous surfaces throughout an arc of 360.

The balloon controlling means of the present invention comprises ahelical ring 28 which extends around the cylindrical package containerand which may be mounted on the frame of the machine in any convenientmanner as by the means shown on the drawing including the adjustablesupporting rods 28 which extend upwardly from the base plate 3. Thepitch of the helix angle of the controlling ring is made greater thanthe pitch of the helix followed by a point of the yarn as it balloonsupwardly so that the ring tends to positively feed the yarn upwardly aswell as control the size of the balloon.' In this way the ring tends toincrease the tension in the yarn between fiyer 4 and the ring and todecrease the tension between the ring and the take-up device 22. -I-Iowever, since an increase in yarn tension between the fiyer and thering is compensated by an unwrapping of yarn from the storage portion 40of the fiyer, the net effect of the ring 28 produces a substantialreduction in yarn tension between the ring and the take-up device and asmaller reduction in yarn tension between the fiyer and the ring.

Preferably the means provided in the present invention for preventingrotation of the supply package comprises a plurality of magneticelements 23 of alternate polarity that are radially positioned about thelower surface of the annular bracket 2311 which extends downwardly fromthe apron 14. A similar pattern of alternately poled magnetic elements24 are positioned on the machine frame and extend upwardly toward themagnetic elements 23. In this way when the corresponding magneticelements on the apron and frame are alined and oppositely poled, thesupply package is magnetically held in a given position. If the packageshould rotate from that position, the repelling force of similarly poledmagnetic elements in addition to the force of gravity cause the magneticelements 24 to pivot at 24a downwardly and actuate the switch device andstop the motor 3a.

In operation the individual filamentary strands and 31 shown in Figure lare conducted upwardly from the respective portions 32 and 33 of thesupply package 13 toward the tensioning device. The strand 30 passesbetween the upper surface of the washer 17a and the lower surface of theannulus 20 and then downwardly between the sleeves '18 and 19. Thestrand 31 passes between the upper surface of the annulus 20 and thelower surface of the weighted insert 21 and then downwardly between thesleeve 19 and the stem 21a. Each of the strands 30 and 31 then proceedsdownwardly together through the sleeve 18 and the alined hollow portion30 of the spindle and outwardly through the aperture 26 therein and thenotch 27 in the rim of the fiyer drum. The strands then automaticallywrap about a portion of the fiyer drum and balloon upwardly in a helicalmanner about the supply package container. The strands are then ledthrough the helical controlling ring 28 where.- in they experience anincreased upward impetus. Thereafter the strands pass through a guidering 34, about the rollers and 36, and are finally collected on thetakeup device 22.

Although the separate strands of filamentary material 30 and 31 in thedrawing are shown as originating from a single supply package, it is tobe understood that an individual supply package for each filamentarystrand could be mounted on the hub 12 without departing from the spiritor scope of the invention.

A further embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in Figure 4of the drawing wherein a modified tension device 29' is employed. Thetension device 29 includes a cap member 17', a polished annular insert17a, an annulus 20', an additional annulus and a weighted insert 21'. Inthis embodiment of the present invention the additional annulus 40provides another pair of op posed contiguous surfaces such that twistingapparatus may be used to simultaneously impart a desired twist in threeindividual filamentary strands. The weight of the insert 21 or 21 inFigures 1 and 4 respectively is preferably chosen to produce the desiredtension in the yarn. The weight of the annuli 2 0,, 2,0,, and 40 ispreferably made negligible so that the tension on each of the strands issubstantially the same. However, if desired, when but a single strand isto be twist ed, the annuli could alsobe weighted to provide anadditional variation in the application of tension. O I v i i y it is tobe emphasized that although the tension control means of the presentinvention is illustrated in Figures l and 4 of the drawing in connectionwith twisting apparatus for handling two and three filamentary strandsrespectively, any greater or lesser number of strands could be handledby providing more or fewer sleeved annuli without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention.

In Figure 5 of the drawing still another'modification' It is to be alsounderstood that such a tension device could be still further modified byemploying a plurality of funneleshaped members to accommodate additionalfilamentary strands without departing from the spirit or 9919 of t rsent i vent o While preferred embodiments of the invention have beendisclosed, the description is intended to be illustrative only and it tobe understood that changes and variations may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended lams I claim;

1. A yarn tension device mounted to receive a strand passing from arevolving path comprising a lower le v k mem ha in n pwa dly acin l rsurface and a central yertical passageway terminating at said annularsurface, a weighting element positioned above and in alignment with theannular surface, and a floating annular element between the weightingelementand the annular surface to separate and compress a plurality ofyarn strands, at least one of said strands travel: ing between theweighting element and the floating element and another of said strandstraveling between the floating element and the annular surface.

2 Ap ara i scqr s zs it claim 1 in. which h floatingielernent comprisesa centralsleeve and an integral radially extending fiat flange. V I

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which the fiat flange on thefloating element comprises an annular I ti ly th ck Pe iphera s r e-References Cited in the file of this patent UNIIEP ATES PATE S 44,720Gritz ner Oct. 18, 1864 1,398,877 Matson a Nov. 29, 1921 1,409,824Brownell Mar. 14, 1922 1,422,240 Taylor et a1. July 11, 1922 1,884,943Williams et a l. a Oct. 25, 1932 1,995,533 Bochmann et a1, Mar. 26, 19352,246,980 Sparkes June 24, 1941 2,346,358 Busse Apr. 11, 1 944 2,473,52!Gwaltney June 21, 1949 2,492,778 Agresti Dec. 27, 1949 2,571,109 Oct.16, 1951 2,597,015 May 20, 1952 2,613,886 Oct. 14, 1952 2,650,779 7:;Sept,v 1, 1933

